Crowds throw stones at parked trains and police in Punjab’s Sirhind
New Delhi:
Hundreds of people waiting for a special train scheduled to travel from Punjab to Bihar started vandalising a railway station in Sirhind after the train was cancelled.
The train was scheduled to run as a special service to carry people home amid the festival season. It was to run from Sirhind railway station in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib to Saharsa in Bihar.
Visuals show hundreds of people crowding on the platform and the railway tracks, shouting slogans. Many of them picked up stones and threw them on the police and some parked passenger trains.
Today’s incident comes days after a stampede in Gujarat’s Surat in the rush to board a special train bound for Bihar left one dead and two injured. The police had confirmed multiple incidents of fainting as well.
With millions travelling to celebrate Diwali with their families, the railways has faced criticism for its poor handling of the holiday rush. Videos circulated on social media show packed trains and long queues outside coaches, leaving many stranded and unable to reach their destinations.
Massive crowds were also seen at railway stations in the national capital on Saturday, a day before Diwali. Visuals on social media showed railway stations in Delhi packed to the brim.